Alleles at one gene are generally associated with alleles at many other genes (i.e., individuals carrying allele A of gene 1 are more likely to carry allele B of gene 2 than individuals carrying a). These associations arise because of functional interactions among genes, population subdivision, and simply as a necessary consequence of finite population size. One particularly important form is when beneficial alleles are negatively associated with each other, interfering with selection for each other. How strong is this effect in natural populations, and how can we detect it? How much recombination is needed to break down interference?

Papers:

• Liu and Weissman (2023), Population structure can reduce clonal interference when sexual reproduction and dispersal are synchronized
• Holmes, Nemenman, and Weissman (2018), Increased adaptability to sudden environmental change can more than make up for the two-fold cost of males
• Weissman and Hallatschek (2014), The rate of adaptation in large sexual populations with linear chromosomes
• Weissman and Barton (2012), Limits to the rate of adaptive substitution in sexual populations